With Hollow Knight's long awaited sequel Silksong due to release this very week, my thoughts have turned to that magical original platformer. Wouldn't it be neat to create a character like the Vessel, Hollow Knight's enigmatic bug hero, to play as in Dungeons and Dragons? Obviously yes - so I've created a custom (and totally unofficial) Vessel species for DnD 5e.
Among all the official DnD races, the only bugfolk species are the Thri-Kreen. Those would work well for the Mantis villagers, but don't really match up with the Vessels. As anyone who has played through Hollow Knight knows, they might just look like little guys, but they have some profoundly sad and eldritch lore behind them - and that's what I've tried to capture in this species' rules.
This homebrew species is designed to work in both the 2014 and 2024 editions of Dungeons and Dragons.
The Vessel
On the outside, you appear to be a tiny but determined bug, among the smallest of all bugfolk. Inside, you are something far stranger - a being created by two desperate monarchs who tried, and failed, to hold back an insurmountable corruption as it overwhelmed their kingdom.
Vessels were intended to contain a great power, but your creators deemed you unworthy, and discarded you to one of the darkest depths of the world. Yet somehow, you escaped…
Size
You are just a little guy - your DnD size is small.
Speed
Your movement speed is 30 ft.
Ability Score modifiers
If you're playing the 2014 version of DnD 5e, your species modifies your DnD stats. You get +2 to one ability score and +1 to another, or +1 to any three ability scores. In the 2024 version of DnD 5e, your species does not modify your stats.
Nail training
You have proficiency with Longsword, Short Sword, and Great Sword.
Focus
As you defeat your enemies, their life force accumulates inside your vessel. You can use this energy to repair your shell when it is damaged. Whenever you land the killing blow on an enemy, you may use your bonus action during that turn to heal a number of HP equal to your level. You may Focus a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, and only regain uses of this power when you finish a Short Rest.
Extremely light
You are unusually light. The distance you can jump is doubled. Whenever you hit an enemy with a melee attack, you are immediately pushed five feet directly away from them. Enemies may not react to this movement by making attacks of opportunity, but other effects of involuntary movement still occur.
You may use your melee attacks while you are jumping to gain a little extra lift and propel you further; you could bounce off a stone pillar that is too small to land on, or 'sword jump' on top of an enemy and make it to the far side. Whenever you jump, if you can hit a suitably placed obstacle or enemy with a melee attack during the jump, you can add five feet to your jump distance.
Build suggestions
With the ability to self heal, martial weapon proficiency, and silly jumping shenanigans, the Vessel species is well suited to classes that favor a high Strength score - the DnD Fighter, Paladin, and Barbarian in particular. DnD Rogues and Rangers will also make great use of the pushback effect from Extremely Light to get them out of combat, though they will struggle to ake multiple melee attacks in a turn.
What do you think of the Vessel - a hollow idea, or brimming with potential? Let us know what you think of it in Wargamer's official Discord community: we'd particularly love to hear if you try it out, and any other ideas you have for Hollow Knight (and Silksong!) inspired DnD content.